


The Mine Games (Rewrite)

by Anonymous



Category: Hermitcraft RPF, Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: 1000 to 2500 works per chapter goal, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Hunger Games Setting, Confusion, Crying, Gen, Generally a bad time, Rewrite, Screaming
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2020-12-05
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:47:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27897799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: 24 Tributes, 1 Survivor.One Day, they were just living their best lives. The Next, they're somewhere they've never been before, where strange people expect them to know everything, where they're told that they have just seven days before they're forced into an arena and will fight to the death. Nobody knows how they got here, or why they're here. The realisation slowly creeps in, it's kill or be killed.But, nobody wants to kill. Can they find a way to break the system and save them, or are they all doomed?- - -(A quick warning before getting into this: I got partway through this on my old AO3 during April, but I honestly can't stand to look at that work anymore, so here we are. Secondly, this fic is not for the faint of heart and will feature; Graphic Violence, Blood, Gore, Major and Minor Character Death and Otherwise Dark/Heavy Themes. TWs will be at the top of individual chapters.)
Kudos: 7
Collections: Anonymous





	The Mine Games (Rewrite)

**Author's Note:**

> Tick tock, says the clock. What does the scared little Hermit say?
> 
> Warnings - Crying, Screaming, Slight Depiction of Nausea

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Grian's greyish-blue eyes blinked sleepily open, briefly observing his surroundings before closing again.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

He opened them again, this time with more urgency. This wasn't his room! Maybe he was at Mumbo's? Or Scar's? Or X's? Except, surely he would recognise their bases?  
He sat up, immediately regretting it as all the warmth fled from his body and sudden nausea took over. Static appears in his peripheral for a few seconds. At least, that's what if felt like. Ow, ow, ow...

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Grian observed the unknown location. It was quite extravagant, not like anything he'd ever seen. Futuristic, but not over the top. Now he saw the source of that recurring Tick, Tock, an analogue clock on the wall. A little strange, seeing as everything else seemed so digitalised, why would there be a random old clock?

Only then did he really, really feel the anxiety start to kick in. It clogged his throat; made his legs feel weak. Where was he, really? Who took him here? Are they dangerous? What happened to his friends? Are they okay? Do they know where he is?  
Who did this? Could it be... Them? He sunk to the floor, feeling hollowed out by that realisation. No, no, no it couldn't be them! It mustn't! He'd escaped when the joined the Hermits, he was free from them. Grian weeped to himself, unable to do anything but cry into his own knees and breathe. And even that was laborious, terror held a tight grasp against his neck and he needed to fight it like an entire army for every breath of oxygen. Why was he even fighting for it anymore? Grian couldn't tell you even if all of Hermitcraft depended on it.

Through everything, all the thoughts, all the screaming and crying, Grian had hardly noticed the warm hand on his shoulder.  
He gave them more attention when whomever this was began to gently rub circles on his collarbone. Grian didn't have the courage to open his eyes and find out who just yet, and even if he did the world would probably be an unviewable hazy, teary mess. 

They spoke, "shhh, shh, shh. It's okay Gri, I'm here."

He recognised that voice in an instant. He'd recognise it anywhere. Calm, gentle, sweet. Blue eyes open to meet warm brown ones. He practically flung himself around the familiar Hermit, tears forming in his eyes once more, but this time of relief rather than terror.

"Mumbo!" The smaller Hermit squeaked.

Mumbo returned the embrace. Grian felt as though he was trapped in a tornado, guilt, fear, sadness, anger, bravery, cowardice and hollowness whirled around him. All the while Mumbo was still, almost to still. The only thing clueing Grian in to the fact that he was still alive was the sound of his heartbeat. That seemed almost out of character, he knew Mumbo was the calmer of the two, but surely such a situation would leave anyone in a panicked frenzy? That is, unless, Mumbo knows something he doesn't. But, if that was true, what could he possibly know? Was this all a strange dream? It felt real enough... Was this even Mumbo? The sudden thought spiraled into "what if's" and he felt himself pulling away in fright.

He can't trust him. He can't trust anyone. Can he trust himself?

"Gri..." Mumbo said, barely louder than a whisper.  
Fear completly took over as he screamed, "GET AWAY FROM ME!"

Hot, salty tears streamed down his face in big gloopy droplets. 'Mumbo' was still, uncomfortably still, kneeling about a metre away. He seemed frozen in shock. His dark brown eyes were coated with fake sympathy, nice try, watcher!  
"Gri..." 'Mumbo' spoke, his voice was so soft it sounded like a breeze.  
"NO!"  
Mumbo flinched. It was as if that flinch was a knife, it cut through Grian's mind and heart. Then when it was done, it stabbed him in the heart again and twisted, bits and pieces of tissue getting caught in the movement. This was the real Mumbo. No Impostor could do that, only the real Mumbo could make that concerned face.  
"Gri..."  
Grian pulled himself up from the cowering, slumped position into more of a rest on his knees.  
"S...sorry." He mumbled bitterly.

"Gri, it's okay. I'm scared to. We'll figure it out." Mumbo's voice was softer than a feather.  
"You didn't... know... where..?" He asked, watching Mumbo shake his head, "But... You were... So, calm..."  
Mumbo looked away, "I... I... I thought I needed to be brave... For you. I guess, not."  
Guilt ate his dissected heart up even more, how could he be so... mean? How could he have not seen the pure kindness that ebbed from Mumbo, and instead mistook it for hatred or dishonesty?  
The scilence gifted him the time to ask, "W-where are we?"

"I don't know."

Well, that just raised more questions than answers. Grian tried to make sense of everything again, "T-then how did you find me?"  
"I was exploring the Downstairs Area" Mumbo expalined, "When I heard you sobbing, I investigated and..."  
Mumbo trailed off, Grian didn't question for the rest of the story, he already knew it.

Then they heard a knock.

Almost like a knock at the door.

In fact, it WAS a knock at the door.

Grian instinctively tenses in fear again. Everything felt like it was covered in a coat of frost, crawling everywhere and capturing everything in it's icy trap. Mumbo noticed him freeze, eyes darting from him to the small sliding door, which appeared to have a flight of stairs behind it.  
"I- I'll investigate..." Mumbo pulled himself up.  
Panic shot through Grian, before really thinking he grabbed onto one of his dark grey sleeves, "NO!"  
Mumbo turned his head to look at Grian, the tears that had begun to dry on the smaller Hermit's face got a fresh coat of paint. "H-h-hey..! It's okay... It'll be fine..."  
That was a goddamn lie, both of them knew it, at least he thought so.  
"YOU CAN'T, WHAT IF? WHAT IF YOU-"

"Shhh... Shh..." Mumbo peeled Grian's fingers away from the end of his suit. He disappeared down the flight of stairs and Grian dragged himself to the top of those stairs, staring down, so he could collapse down and fight if anything bad happened. It was one of those weird staircases that looked more like a series of shelves, decorative staircases, a mess.  
Mumbo seemed to hesitate at the door for a moment, as if it had a code and didn't know it. Seeing the technology everywhere else, maybe it did. Worry clawed at his insides.

The door opened, seemingly without the other Hermit needing to touch it. Someone stood on the other side, someone Grian was genuinely considering beating the brains out of if they tried anything.  
"So, don't try anything, whoever the hell you are!" He hissed under his breath.  
The stranger dipped their head, seemingly as a sign of respect. "Greetings, sir. I hope you've slept well, may I ask where your district partner is?"

If Grian was as angry as he was confused, they'd be dead right now, but his confusion stuck him in place and didn't allow him to feel anything but it's sheer hypnoticness. If he was completely bamboozled, how must Mumbo feel? He's put on the spot by a person he doesn't know with a question that doesn't make sense!  
Grian heard him stammer. The stranger, who upon closer inspection was very professionally dressed, almost like they were a hotel desk worker or a flight attendant. They stuck their head inwards, eyes darting from furniture to wall, until they rested glancing at the top of the stairs.

"Ah! There you are!"

Grian felt like pulling away and hiding under the bed, but he'd already been seen. That would be no use now. He felt like he was going to choke.

"There's no time to waste now darlin's! Training starts in fifteen minutes!"


End file.
